A little bit about why you shouldn't buy from us this Valentine's Day.

Last year we did something bold, rather than saying "come and buy a voucher for a skin treatment (AKA Facial) or purchase this product" like other retailers, we said "don't buy anything from us...unless you've been asked".

Why did we do this? Because every year we have people come in to use vouchers after Valentine's Day who were looking forward to the treatment, but a tiny upset they had a gift that says "Here, make your face nicer". Instead we told you to take your other half out to do something they and you could both enjoy. And we also had a nice response from people who actually did want a nicer face (well skin), and asked the other half for a voucher.

This year is no different. So instead of going out and buying something they may not like, ask them if they would like to go on a day out, book a weekend away or even just have a nice night in. If you KNOW they would love something from us, then we are here.

February promotions (if you fancy treating yourself)

The receipt promotion is still on, so remember not to throw yours away. You can get LVL Enhance lash treatment for £30 instead of £40 in February. Dermalogica® promotions for this month are freebies galore!

Spend £70 on treatments or products combined and get a free travel size product worth £11.90Spend £90 on treatments or products combined and get a free full size Sheer Tint moisturiser worth £34.80Buy Power Rich intensive treatment (ideal prep before a big event) for £142.40 and get a free IonActive Treatment AND full sizes of Skin Resurfacing Cleanser and Anti-Oxidant Hydramist. A total of £276.20 of treatments and products meaning a saving of £133.80!Buy three get one free on all skin treatments. Meaning if you buy in advance you can take advantage of one of the above freebies!

Charity Donations for January

At the start of January I made a pledge to make any change I could to make the world a bit better. And hasn't it been a right month where it really could be better?

Anyway, I said I would give a £1 for each treatment performed. I've done just that. Each month on the last day I will use the suggestions I've heard from you throughout the month when you visit to make donations to various charities and organisations.

Below is a list of things that just by visiting me in January you have had a part in. Thank you from me and from those you have helped.

Locally we have;

Pledged £60 worth of products and treatments to a local fundraiser (this is separate and in addition to what was raised, all treatment £'s went directly to charities and didn't return to me as that would just be daft and wrong!)

Given a £10 donation to Claire House Hospice

Given a £10 donation to Wales Air Ambulance Charity

Internationally we have;

Paid for 40 measles vaccines (to protect 20 children)

Paid for 100 polio vaccines

Paid for water purification tablets to make 20,000 litres of water drinkable in emergency situations, when the fresh water supply is compromised.

(The previous three were donated through The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) )

And also internationally is something a bit different. Microfinance institutions; these are local institutions that borrow money to local entrepreneurs for them to start/expand their business, which will lift them and their families out of poverty. This is done through local lenders who support the borrower with lessons in bookkeeping and finance management. It means they do not have to rely on a lender who might take advantage of them. And rather than one person or company like us lending their whole loan, it is split between multiple lenders. The business owner pays back their loan and the exact amount we lent them comes back for us to help someone else (no profit is made by any lender).

This month we have helped for funding towards the expansion of the salon business of Silvana Cueva from Catamayo, Ecuador. She will be using the money, once fully funded, to purchase equipment and products. Her business supports herself, her mother and also provides work to an assistant.

So there we go. Just for coming in and getting your brows done or having a skin treatment you have helped people locally and across the world, well done you!

Two new launches

February will see the launch of two new initiatives. The first being Knowledge base, the first post of which will be uploaded next week. It will contain lessons on product use, skin conditions and generally anything else that I get asked questions about. Next time you visit ask for the password. The second is a new Facebook group called ARH Skincare Last Minute. If you search for this on Facebook and add yourself I will approve you. It is a closed group which will have any last minute appointment cancellations and the occasional promotion if a space is left in my day. Well worth taking a look at if you have a day off and are at a loose end!

Happy New Year!

We are now well into 2017 and I'm sure we all have the same goal of taking care of ourselves better...and failing miserably at it so far. If you haven't failed, good for you! I however have eaten so much cheese my blood type is now 'dairy'. (Next week I start to lose the weight, I promise!)

One thing I get this time of year is a rush of people who have decided 'now' is the time to take control of their skin. This is great, but it comes with problems. Many peoples issues have developed over a long period of time. And just like my weight it will not disappear over night. Think of your home care as the gym for your skin and professional treatments as a session with a personal trainer. You will notice changes slowly, but there will be changes. Just like I can't go on a diet and lose 8 stone overnight, you cannot get rid of acne overnight.

Now just like gyms and PT's it costs money to achieve this (boo! I know). If you use a gym that only has a treadmill you will get exercise. If you use a gym with all types of equipment you will get a better quality of exercise and see better results sooner. If you go to a PT that only has a vague idea of what they are doing you may get some results, but they may also set you back. If you go to a PT with extensive experience, that is what you are paying for. The same is translatable to skincare and professional treatments. In the end, you get what you pay for. And if you are paying £80 for your hair, £30 for your nails and £100's on clothes a month, yet do not think something that is on show all the time is worth just a few quid, then you are in for a shock when that first deep wrinkle appears. You see superficial lines can be dealt with easier than a deep wrinkle, which then becomes the realm of fillers or surgery. Prevention is better than cure!

Knowledge base

Some of you might have noticed a new tab has appeared on the website. Knowledge base will launch in February and will be a collection of articles and videos about skin and skincare. Next time you are in ask me for the password.

Daily Superfoliant

Go to the Facebook page to enter the competition for the chance to win a skincare set containing the new product from Dermalogica®. Alternatively, if you are having a Dermalogica® treatment in January, you will be entered into a draw to win another.

January promotions

Daily Superfoliant is now available for £55, with a free Detox SkinSolver®.

Price increases

As I have said in December Dermalogica® products will be increasing in price, however I have decided to keep retail at its current price for January only. Please take advantage before any increases. This is due to the fluctuation in the pound against the dollar and will also have effect on professional items purchased from Europe with other treatments. As usual any treatment costs will be from the new financial year in April, so I have time to tell everyone that will be affected. Also as you were told in December the free treatment structure will be changing for Dermalogica®. You will now have the following;

Another year over. As you can imagine this time of year is always a mad blur in this industry, which is why this is being posted mid way through the month!

Make sure to sign up to our newsletter or like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram. The links to all these pages can be found on the bottom of every page. These are the best ways of keeping up to date with news and promotions as this is (usually) only updated once a month. And as the email newsletter has the best exclusive promotions that is the best of the lot!

We have enjoyed you coming in to us this year. We know that you have a choice when you choose who does your treatments and we are glad that you choose us. So thank you for coming to see us in 2016 and we hope to see you in 2017. We hope you and your families have a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

Novembers news, a week early!

Well I didn't want to send out the November news in October, however I received an email this morning which made me think I'd best get my skates on.

If you've already been in this month you will have seen the Dermalogica® gift sets. This morning I received an email from them informing me that the Body Buffing kit is now out of stock. Luckily I had just had a delivery of seven on Tuesday, so I have them left but after that, they are gone. So if you want one they are £15.50 and are worth £36.45, which is probably why everyone went a bit mad for them.

Now on to (sorry about the next word) Christmas. And the launch of a new treatment.

I really didn't want to type it at this point in the year, but as there are now products selling out that would have formed part of the November/December promotions, we have had to tweak what is being offered. We now have the addition of Dermalogica® skinsolver®, a 10 minute £10 treatment that is perfect for those of you that would like to come in every week! Choose from hydrating Dewy skinsolver® or Flash peel skinsolver®. Now on to promotions that will run between now and Christmas.

The following product promotions are for while stocks last only. If you like the idea of the gift I can put it away now with a small deposit and pay remaining balance before the end of November.

This is available from now until 30th November only. The vouchers below will be available for use from January 2017 only (all regular vouchers that you have can still be used as normal);

I'm basically copying Boots! 3 for 2 on all treatments. Pick any 3 and get the cheapest service free. You can even pick 3 the same (handy if you fancy a course). Again, please keep in mind this promotion is only running until the 30th November and the vouchers will only be valid for use from January. There will be another voucher promotion in December, however these will be for treatments/groupings we have selected.

If you fancy a prize go to the Facebook page and check out the Halloween competition!

October is here, which means time for the new round of promotions. We have two new treatments added to the menu in the form of Hot Stone therapy and Indian head massage.

Both now performed by Sarah. Indian head massage will be priced at £15 for 25min treatment time and Hot Stone back massage (25min) will be priced at £20 or full body (60min) at £30. But wait! Your receipts for October-November will have a coupon for Hot Stone back massage for £17 of full body for £27. This will lock in that price when you have a coupon up to the 30th November.

All Dermalogica® C******s (I'll censor the word until next month at least) kits are available for purchase. Please see the Facebook page for full descriptions and prices. Some items will be sold out by the time December swings round so best grab them now if you want them, while I can still get hold of some of the sets.

For October you will be able to experience IonActive™ for £50 instead of £60. IonActive™ is a next level Expert skin treatment from Dermalogica® that uses high strength products mixed with electrical modalities to provide results you will love. If you have both microZone and the Dermalogica skin treatment and know the difference you experience with the two, this one is again another level up from that. Also anyone having this treatment will be entitled to 10% off any retail products purchased on the day.

Next up, a return...

Eve Taylor® Skin treatments return

Some of you that have been coming a while know that we use Eve Taylor oils for massage and aromatherapy and that we also used to use the skin care range among others prior to appointing Dermalogica® as our main provider.

Sarah has decided to introduce skin treatments into her menu and has elected the Eve Taylor® aromatherapy based brand as her product of choice.

So here are your new additions to the skin treatment menu that will be available with Sarah;

Skin analysis

15 mins | free

A 15 minute chat about you and your skin. At the end of your analysis you will be given treatment and product recommendations that will help you achieve the skin skin you want.

Skin treatment one

Skin treatment two

50 mins | £25

50 minutes of skin treatment, incorporating cleansing, facial massage, prescriptive masque and prescriptive moisturiser. Using hot towels throughout to remove, and the option of a scalp, hand and arm, leg and foot or further facial massage while your masque is on.

Skin treatment three

80 mins | £38

30 minutes of hot stone back, neck and shoulder massage. This is followed by 50 minutes of skin treatment, incorporating cleansing, facial massage, prescriptive masque and prescriptive moisturiser. Using hot towels throughout to remove, and the option of a scalp, hand and arm, leg and foot or further facial massage while your masque is on.

Skin treatment four

110 mins | £45

60 minutes of hot stone massage. This is followed by 50 minutes of skin treatment, incorporating cleansing, facial massage, prescriptive masque and prescriptive moisturiser. Using hot towels throughout to remove, and the option of a scalp, hand and arm, leg and foot or further facial massage while your masque is on.

To win next months prize of a rescue me! skit kit simply have a Dermalogica treatment to be entered into the draw. Winner announced in email newsletter.

The year is flying by and it's holiday time! Well for some people at least. It is a busy end of month already as I will be on annual leave for two weeks commencing 29th August. There are still some spaces left at the time of writing for next week and the week after. Sarah will be in on Thursday and Friday both weeks that I'm not here too.

Massage - Sarah's promotion runs through to the end of August, which if you missed it in last months newsletter is £12 for back, neck and shoulder massage or £20 for full body (that is a £10 saving on the regular price!).

Receipt coupon this month - Pedicure for £18.50 to be used in August.

Now on to a couple of additions. You will be pleased to note our polish collection now has the Autumn/Winter Washington D.C. collection from OPI added. Along with an additional collection of shades from the OPI Infinite Shine line. If you are unfamiliar with Infinite Shine; It is a polish that provides a gel like shine without the need for curing, that lasts up to ten days. The gloss that seal it actually cures in natural light providing high resistance to chipping. And the best part is there is no removal process. It is easily removed with any polish remover. Also we have a limited number of Dream Duo sets containing Nail Envy with Avoplex Oil available for £16.50.

That's all for August (well not quite, there is a new Dermalogica product being launched on 8th August). And winner of last months Body Therapy kit was Nerieshia Coathupe. Next months prize is a Dermalogica Rescue Me! kit. To win, simply come in for any Dermalogica treatment in August.

Sorry this is a week late, been very busy! Just a quick update for this months promotions and an introduction;

Dermalogica® promotion: Spend £70 on products this month and get the Skin Detox Set worth £33.50 for free. It contains travel sizes of Multi-Active Toner, Charcoal Rescue Masque and Hydrablur® Primer (Tip: even men can use this one, the tint is so subtle).

Receipt promotion this month is for the RH 4 package in August for £17.50, so remember not to throw your receipt away! (RH 4 is eyelash and eyebrow tint and eyebrow tidy, sensitivity tests required)

Scrummi has been appointed our new disposable towel provider. This is in keeping with our goal of becoming a carbon neutral company. The towels are 100% biodegradable, made from certified sustainable sources and by using them we reduce our energy, water and detergent use massively. This added to the fact that they are hygienic, as everyone gets their own towel means they are better for you, us and the environment.

Sarah, our intimate waxing specialist will be starting 7th July and will be offering late appointments on Thursday and Friday up to 8pm. Sarah has trained with one of the countries (and indeed the worlds) leading waxing specialists (Kim Lawless aka 'The Wax Queen'), she is first class and undergoes regular training to refresh skills and learn new techniques. Some of you may remember Sarah, as she did her work placement with me each week about 4/5 years ago. So if you can't get an appointment with me give Sarah a go as she does things exactly like I do. Prices for intimate waxing can be found on the website: www.arhskincare.com

Over the next few months there will be news on new treatments being added to the menu so stay ahead and sign up to the newsletter on the website. It can contain special promotions not listed here and more recently a massive HD Brows giveaway that you wouldn't have been aware of if you only keep up to date on here.

Competion time: Same as last month and month before. Come in for a Dermalogica® treatment and get entered into a draw to win a body therapy kit. Last months winner was Tanya Maughn. Good Luck to all of you coming in this month!

Last few 30-30-30 deals still available

30-30-30 (limited number now left)

30 days of products, 30 minutes of treatment for £30. Perfect introduction to the Dermalogica® range or if you're already a fan, you'll be familiar with some of the products contained within the kit. At time of writing I have 15 spaces left for this offer (I'm limited to 48, so unless someone cancels this will be your last chance).

Don't fancy 30-30-30?

Having the Dermalogica Skin Treatment® this month? Take away a travel size Multivitamin hand and nail treatment worth £6 for free.

Look good, feel better week 6th-12th June

Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) is the only international cancer support charity, providing practical and very effective free services for women and teenagers struggling with the visible side effects of cancer treatment. This is a fantastic charity that does some great work. I will have a donation box in the room if you have any loose change lying round. And will be offering some vouchers during that week (keep your eyes peeled), the proceeds of which will be given to LGFB.

Once again this month I have a Body Therapy Gift Set to give away for free. Same rules as last month, come in for any Dermalogica® treatment and be enterd into a draw to win. Last Months winner was Sarah-Jane Bradley, congratulations. And remember to keep your receipt this month, which has a coupon for 25% off waxing with our new therapist or £5 off any Dermalogica® moisturiser or kit in July.

The amazing 30-30-30 offer is back on. As this was so popular last year, I am allowing advanced bookings. I am limited to 48 of these packs, so when I reach 48 bookings for this offer that is it. The treatment is now live on the booking system at www.bookarh.com look for Dermalogica® 30-30-30. Please remember to book in June for this offer, if you book it for May I will still be able to do your treatment, but you will not receive your products until June. Remember once 48 people have booked there are no more of these packs, so get in there first!

SPF and why it is not just a thing for holiday.

The main issue people have when they come in to see me is ageing concerns followed by pigmentation. The issue with SPF use, in this country at least, is that it is seen as a 'holiday' item or for the odd day out at the beach. UV rays are present whenever it is light, even when cloudy you are exposed to UVA, which is the long-wave band that causes wrinkles and pigmentation. Both UVA and UVB contribute to causing skin cancer. If you are not familiar with the different types, you are not alone. Quite often 'broad spectrum' protection is mentioned. This means that it provides protection against UVA and UVB, and should be the base standard you look for when choosing an SPF product. Now, here is where is starts to get complicated (and hopefully explained). SPF is not a specific amount of protection as such, it indicates how long it will take for UVB to redden the skin (UVB is the main cause of sunburn as it affects the top layers of the skin more).

If we take an SPF 15 it will mean it takes your skin 15 times longer to redden your skin than your skin would normally do without sunscreen (remember your skin is different to other people and you may redden quicker). It also screens approximately 93% of the sun's UVB rays. SPF 30 protects up to 97% and SPF 50 up to 98%. So when choosing what SPF to use we need to look at a few different factors. Day to day is a simple start. If you work in an office or indoors you are unlikely to need a high SPF. Although UVA can penetrate glass, UVB doesn't so easily. So a lower factor is perfectly fine depending on your skin. If you work by windows, maybe think about raising your SPF level. When it comes to outside working a higher SPF can be used. And if you have a manual job outside and are prone to sweating, try a water resistant SPF. Holidays are a time when you might find it beneficial to raise your SPF always remembering to reapply regularly and recognising that water resistant does not mean water proof!

Before you go away or even if you are looking at year round sun protection keep in mind I am here to have a chat with you about your options and have a wide range of solutions from Dermalogica® the brand developed in the land of perpetual sunshine, California (making it a brand that takes sun protection seriously).

Freebies and promotions

Any purchase of Dermalogica® products over £60 in May will get you a free microZone® and if one of your products contains SPF (or After Sun Repair, which turbo charges your skins recovery rate and also makes a fab after wax care product!) you get to take home the stylish beach or yoga tote bag (as pictured, towel and yoga mat not included). Get prom ready with a Clear Start microZone® for £20 instead of £24, and when you purchase 2 Clear Start products (including kit) you get a free Prom Prep Kit to take along wherever you go, so you never have an excuse to drop your routine for a night!

Receipt promotional coupons

If you came in for a treatment or purchased a product from mid April you will have been given a receipt. These receipts are carbon neutral (I don't like waste either) and will be given after every treatment or product purchase. The great news is now, there is a monthly receipt promotion. If you have one, you'll know April's had a coupon for a microZone® for £20 to use in May. Receipts in May will have a coupon on the bottom for use in June in our biggest ever treatment give away, for a free underarm wax, which is a treatment worth £6! If you have it done regularly, you'll know how fantastic smooth underarms can be and if you've never had it done but always thought about it, now is the time to try. Coupon must be presented at time of treatment and you may pass on coupons to whoever you like.

IonActive™

It is finally here! From May you will be amongst the first in the country to be able to experience the power of IonActive™ Power Treatment, which delivers a personalised bio+charged therapy for more visible, rapid results. This action packed treatment combines thermal activity and the latest treatment room technology to optimise product penetration for rapid skin health results. Your skin will look and feel dramatically improved, with reduced signs of skin ageing, uneven skin tone, acne or dehydration. To celebrate the launch of this treatment, courses purchased in May will be reduced to £150 for 3 or £290 for 6. The treatment is normally priced at £60 per session and booking is available from the first week of May.

New product launch and April promotions

April promotions and a competition (it's a very good prize, grab a cup of tea, sit down and read right through to the bottom) -

April sees the launch of Charcoal Rescue Masque. This all round wonder masque purifies skin using Binchotan Charcoal to draw out oil. Brightens skins with Volcanic Ash, Sea Silt and Bamboo Extract, while Alpha Hydroxy Acids accelerate skin turnover and renewal. Niacinamide calms the skin, reducing redness and helps tackle congested pores. Chilean Wild Mint Leaf Extract improves skin texture and reduces pore visibility. While Sulphur removes dulling dead skin cells and combats breakout causing bacteria. This masque provides visible results after one use (my skin looked so bright after just one application). You can multi-masque or target certain areas, but as this masque is suitable for all skin types it is pretty much an all round treat for any condition. The masque is priced at £38 and for the month of April, when you purchase a tube of Charcoal Rescue Masque you get a microZone® for free! (That means if you're having a microZone® this month you can grab a full size masque for just £14)

New Charcoal Rescue Masque

Proms are coming and there is no better way to prep for prom than by combining the Dermalogica® Clear Start system with results driven microZone® targeted treatments. When you buy a Clear Start Kit for £23.75, you get a Clear Start microZone® for free. Or for the special price of £79.99 get the kit and a course of four Clear Start microZone® treatments to combine a full home care routine and treatments at the hands of a skincare expert.

Free microZone® when you buy this kit

RH 4 package is a popular combination of brow tidy, brow tint and lash tint and is available for £20. (Sensitivity test required 48hrs prior to treatment)

Block booking - 4 hour block booking of ANY treatments (assuming sensitivity tests are done) for £120. Take your pick and build your own perfect treatment plan. Some recent examples of things people have had; 1: Dermalogica skin treatment® and 4 additional touch therapies, RH 4 package, Thermal back purification, Brow tidy. 2: LVL Enhance, HD Brows, Full body aromatherapy massage, Full leg wax, Under arm wax. Obviously you can pick whatever you fancy, these are just suggestions. But it's a nice way to give yourself a treat don't you think?

Now on to the competition - (a similar one is running on Facebook if you want to increase your chances!)

You and a friend can win a Dermalogica skin treatment® and the prescribed home kit for your skin. To win, refer someone in this month who hasn't been before, When they book any appointment from a free face mapping, a microZone® right the way up to a BioSurface Peel and mention you sent them (or email me their name), you will both get added into a draw to win a full hours treatment followed by the selection of a skin kit to take home, all for free!

March is here! Offers for this month for Dermalogica UK & IR include 10% off the whole retail range! And if that isn't enough, if you spend £80 you get your free microZone (worth £24) and you get to choose a free full size product from the picture! And as an extra bonus if you have a microZone or the dermalogica skin treatment this month you can pick up a skin kit for 25% off! (this includes the 10% offer with an added 15% bonus discount)

You may have noticed the website is changing over. Due to issues with unreliable hosting, the website is being shut down with the current provider and a new site put up instead! As the business name changed last year, I have decided on a new URL. So in future you will be able to go to www.arhskincare.com or www.bookarh.com to see what's new and also book in.

New URL and new look! Welcome to the new site, along with social media channels, you will now be able to catch up on news here. But don't forget to subscribe to the email newsletter which will contain special promotions sometimes not found on the site.